OBS having 'best sale in years'

Bid Spotter Woodie Leavell spots a bid for hip #329 as hip No.‚Äôs 179-510 were auctioned off Wednesday August 21, 2013, during the second day of the Ocala Breeders' Sale August Open Sale of Yearlings in Ocala, FL. The sale concludes Thursday with Hip No.‚Äôs 511-841.

Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner

By Carlos E. MedinaCorrespondent

Published: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 at 9:13 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 at 9:13 p.m.

For nearly 20 years, Beth Bayer has dedicated herself to preparing thoroughbred yearlings for the sales ring.

Photo Galleries

In that time, she has been through the ups and downs of the industry, including the thoroughbred bubble that burst in the wake of the 2008 economic downturn. On Wednesday, Bayer was beaming as she experienced her best sale in years.

Bayer's Ocala-based Beth Bayer Consignment sold $705,000 worth of horses at the second day of the Ocala Breeders' Sales August sale of yearlings.

She led all consignors with 27 horses sold, including the day's co-highest-seller at $90,000. The horse, a Florida-bred daughter of Flatter, was bought by Mersad Metanovic Bloodstock.

“This sale has been very strong. It's a super sale. People are here buying. It's probably been the best sale in years, particularly in Ocala,” Bayer said.

The numbers proved that out on Wednesday as 262 horses sold for more than $4.6 million. This year's gross sales jumped nearly 58 percent from last year's total of just under $3 million for 211 horses.

“Over the last couple of years, it's been tough to sell horses. But now, people are needing horses,” said Bayer.

The number of horses bred in North America has sharply declined. The Jockey Club's estimate for the 2014 foal crop is 22,000, the smallest in at least 45 years.

Fewer horses means higher prices.

“If you bring a nice horse to the sale, people are willing to pay the money for them,” Bayer said.

“The success that our consignors had in the 2-year-old season has transferred over into the yearling market and certainly the quality of the horses brought to the sale helps. There are plenty of good horses here and we hear that over and over again from the buyers,” Wojciechowski said.

Bayer said the years leading up to the 2008 crash were unlike anything she had ever seen.

“The market got so strong and out of control, it couldn't keep going like that. I don't think we'll see those times again, at least not for a long time,” she said.

Bayer thinks that while many were hurt after the bust, the industry, as a whole, is better for the downturn.

“Now it has readjusted. The buyers have become more educated in what they are buying. A few years ago, you could put anything out there and it would sell,” she said.

The other $90,000 horse of the day was also a filly. The daughter of Pioneerof the Nile was purchased by Ocala trainer Mark Casse. She was consigned by Ocala's Woodford Thoroughbreds.

Today, the final session of the yearling sale starts at 10:30 a.m. at the OBS sales pavilion at 1701 SW 60th Ave.

<p>For nearly 20 years, Beth Bayer has dedicated herself to preparing thoroughbred yearlings for the sales ring.</p><p>In that time, she has been through the ups and downs of the industry, including the thoroughbred bubble that burst in the wake of the 2008 economic downturn. On Wednesday, Bayer was beaming as she experienced her best sale in years.</p><p>Bayer's Ocala-based Beth Bayer Consignment sold $705,000 worth of horses at the second day of the Ocala Breeders' Sales August sale of yearlings.</p><p>She led all consignors with 27 horses sold, including the day's co-highest-seller at $90,000. The horse, a Florida-bred daughter of Flatter, was bought by Mersad Metanovic Bloodstock.</p><p>“This sale has been very strong. It's a super sale. People are here buying. It's probably been the best sale in years, particularly in Ocala,” Bayer said.</p><p>The numbers proved that out on Wednesday as 262 horses sold for more than $4.6 million. This year's gross sales jumped nearly 58 percent from last year's total of just under $3 million for 211 horses.</p><p>“Over the last couple of years, it's been tough to sell horses. But now, people are needing horses,” said Bayer.</p><p>The number of horses bred in North America has sharply declined. The Jockey Club's estimate for the 2014 foal crop is 22,000, the smallest in at least 45 years.</p><p>Fewer horses means higher prices.</p><p>“If you bring a nice horse to the sale, people are willing to pay the money for them,” Bayer said.</p><p>Tod Wojciechowski, OBS director of sales, said in addition to the smaller foal crops, strong 2-year-old sales have helped raise prices.</p><p>“The success that our consignors had in the 2-year-old season has transferred over into the yearling market and certainly the quality of the horses brought to the sale helps. There are plenty of good horses here and we hear that over and over again from the buyers,” Wojciechowski said.</p><p>Bayer said the years leading up to the 2008 crash were unlike anything she had ever seen.</p><p>“The market got so strong and out of control, it couldn't keep going like that. I don't think we'll see those times again, at least not for a long time,” she said.</p><p>Bayer thinks that while many were hurt after the bust, the industry, as a whole, is better for the downturn.</p><p>“Now it has readjusted. The buyers have become more educated in what they are buying. A few years ago, you could put anything out there and it would sell,” she said.</p><p>The other $90,000 horse of the day was also a filly. The daughter of Pioneerof the Nile was purchased by Ocala trainer Mark Casse. She was consigned by Ocala's Woodford Thoroughbreds.</p><p>Today, the final session of the yearling sale starts at 10:30 a.m. at the OBS sales pavilion at 1701 SW 60th Ave.</p>